The village's name was originally just "Stow", but the land was held by the de Languetot family in the early 13th century, thus the ending.

For all of Stowlangtoft's small size, its parish church, St George's, is within the group classed as "Great Churches". It was built as a single construction project in the late 14th century and barely changed until the restoration work undertaken in the 19th century. The church is in the decorated and later English styles; the chancel contains several richly-carved stalls and monuments to members of the family of D'Ewes. The church and parsonage-house are located on what was once the site of a Roman encampment. Sir Symonds D'Ewes, Bart. (1602-1650), the eminent antiquary, lived in Stowlangtoft Hall. Peter Tillemans, one of the founders of the English school of sporting painting, was buried in St George's on 7 December 1734.